Submissions, Plot Bunnies & Other Random Scribbles

Earworms, Plot Bunnies and Other Loathesome Creatures

No shame in my game, gonna start with this vid right out of the gate because Corey Glover going commando in a yellow neoprene onesie showed up in my YouTube sidebar and now he's in my thought bubble head banging and tossing those braids around. (Hell YASSSS! 🤘😝🤘)

::clears throat, tries to regain composure::

Because I often write to music, the task of creating new stories or fleshing out Plot Bunnies is often inspired by a song that just won't leave me alone. Don't know sometimes which comes first, the earworm or the persistent skittering of bunny feet scampering around in my thought bubble, but they often get together to distract me from whatever I *should* be doing at any particular moment in time. An unwelcome distraction at worst but, usually  - a carefree feeling that swirls around me and grabs me by the hand bidding me to dance like nobody's watching.

My beloved OC dances, but also plays the drums. In a recent chapter, I changed a song five times (after posting 🤫) because I couldn't figure out what she'd really have been playing:

"Tom Sawyer" Drum cover by Meytal Cohen:

Can't remember the others, so I guess they weren't the right ones anyway.

#

Sometimes, music is a plot device plain and simple. Just another set piece that moves things along. Like when my main OC played this one while trying to calm herself before a long haul flight:

Or, sang this Maroon 5 song accompanied by another character playing the piano in a performance for charity:

When best deployed, music sets the mood and hits you right in the feels. I don't mind admitting to borrowing song titles or lyrics for chapter titles. I've come to find out that some people really hate that, but to me it's a nod toward the source material that inspired me. The following snippet is from a story that included a scene where a major character was left unconscious in his lover's arms with her begging him to not leave her:

"Khan slowly drifts in and out of consciousness. He struggles to lift his head, but a paralytic agent is preventing a full range of motion.
"Can you keep your eyes open for me?" asks Ananda. "Please, Noonien...  I need you." She pleads through her tears for him to hang on as she cradles and rocks her half conscious lover. "Hey! HEY!" Ananda demands as lightly shakes Khan just before gathering him to her bosom. "C'mon... You've got to keep your eyes OPEN! That. Is. An. ORDER!"

Khan opens his eyes and looks up at her, half lidded. "Anan... Anan-da...?"

For this little tearjerker, I listened "Bring Me to Life" by Evanescence on  endless repeat 🔁 as inspiration (borrowed from the lyrics for the chapter title too, 👩🏾‍💻💭)

The song in the video below "Concierto De Aranjuez Adagio" - Joaquin Rodrigo/John Williams kept me in the mood while writing the lover's tender reconciliation after their tragedy:

So, which comes first the army of persistent Plot Bunnies or the pesky Earworm? I'm still not sure there's a clear answer to that question because once they join forces to team up on me, they seem almost inseparable. Not that I'm complaining.

No, I'm really not complaining...

I mean look - inspiration tends to come in waves, doesn't it? So, ride your next wave like a boss.

And, if music coaxes your muse into giving you their best - you're in mighty fine company.